Background & Aims: Diabetes Mellitus is the most prevalent endocrine diseases causing nephropathy, retinopathy, and cardiovascular complications. Dyslipidemia, acute pancreatic necrosis, and fat metabolism disorders in liver of diabetic patients have been reported. Studies suggest that grape seed oil constitute anti-oxidant activity capable of decreasing serum cholesterol as well as liver total cholesterol level.

Materials & Methods: Wistar male rats were made diabetic by a single dose of streptozotocin (42mg/kg). The rats were fed with a balanced diet in two control and grape seed oil groups. After three weeks blood samples were collected and rats were euthanized, the pathologic changes of pancreas and liver and changes in the lipids of the plasma pancreas and liver were investigated.

Results: Plasma levels of triglycerides, cholesterol, and LDL was significantly lower in grape seed oil group. There were no significant differences in plasma HDL between two groups. In diabetic control rats’ congestion, hemorrhage, edema, and diffuse necrosis, infiltration of inflammatory cells in pancreas and congestion, bleeding and inflammatory cells infiltration to the port area of the liver were observed. Significant reduction of edema in the pancreas of the grape seed oil group was observed. Although a decrease in hemorrhage in the liver of grape seed fed rats were observed, this did not reach to statistical significance.

Conclusion: It is concluded that the grape seed oil could have beneficial effect on lowering LDL, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels as well as remarkable reduction of the pancreatic edema in diabetic rats.

SOURCE: URMIA MED J 2014: 25(7): 615 ISSN: 1027-3727